Typically, a heat exchanger includes an upstream tank, a downstream tank, a core coupled between the upstream and the downstream tank, and fins stacked within the core. The core includes multiple tubes to allow flow of coolant from the upstream tank to the downstream tank. On completion of each circulation through the engine, the coolant is routed to the upstream tank of the heat exchanger. The coolant further flows through the tubes to lose heat to a stream of air flowing across the core. The coolant associated with ambient temperature is received at the downstream tank and is supplied to the engine for further circulation. Based on various operating parameters of engine, two or more heat exchangers are employed in the machine to treat the temperature of the coolant of the engine. Owing to space constraint in the machine, conventionally, the two or more heat exchangers are combined to constitute a single heat exchanging module.
Conventional methods of combining the heat exchangers include directly connecting outermost tubes or outermost column of fins of each heat exchanger. In cases where the coolant associated with high temperature flows through the heat exchangers, temperature gradients may develop between adjacent cores and may lead to development of thermal stresses within each core. In addition, during high temperature conditions, the adjacent cores may tend to expand. However, since the outermost tubes or outermost column of fins are directly connected, expansion of the cores is restricted. Such conditions add to the thermal stresses developed within the single heat exchanger module.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0109191 (the '191 publication) describes a cooling module that includes multiple heat exchangers, at least one of which is a coolant radiator. Specifically, the '191 publication discloses a charge air cooler heat exchanging core stacked and directly connected between a radiator heat exchanging core and an oil cooler heat exchanging core. As such, thermal stresses may be developed in the charge air cooler heat exchanging core. Therefore, the '191 publication fails to overcome the thermal stresses developed in the charge air cooler heat exchanging core.